Sequence selector mechanism for automatic phonographs



, Dec. 19, 1939. A EBERT ET AL 2,183,607

SEQUENCE SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAFHS Filed June 3, 19383 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 19, 1939. E. A. EBERT ET AL SEQUENCE SELECTORMECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPHS Filed June}, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2J2 5.

Dec. 19, 1939. E. A. EBERT ET AL SEQUENCE SELECTOR MECHANISMFOR-AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPHS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1938 PatentedDec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES QFFi CE TENT SEQUENCE SELECTOR MESHANISIVIFOR AUTOMATIC PHUNOGRAPHS ration of Ohio Application June 3,.

11 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inselector mechanisms for automatic multi-selective phonographs.

It has for its main object to provide a selector mechanism for automaticphonographs which is designed to effect the playing of the records in adefinite order as predetermined by the choice or selection of the user,that is, to effect the sequence playing of the records in the orderpreselected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sequence selector formultiselective phonographs which is simple and compact in construc-.tion, reliable in operation, and which is not liable to get out oforder.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a multi-selective phonograph chassisshowing our improved sequence selector applied thereto. Figure 2 is aside elevation thereof. Figure 3 is a rear view of the chassis. Figure 4is an enlarged cross section taken substantially in the plane of line44, Figure 2. Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectiontaken substantially in the plane of line 55, Figure l, the selector 30elements being in their retracted or non-selective positions. Figure 6is a transverse section taken on line t-5, Figure 5. Figure "I is afragmentary top plan view of the selector assembly showing the selectorelements in predetermined, 35 sequence-selected positions relative tothe selector-drum. Figures 8, 9 and are fragmentary longitudinalsections showing the different positions of one of the selectorelements, Figure 8 showing the selector element in non-selective 40position, Figure 9 showing the selector element in its first stage ofmovement or partially-selective position, and Figure 10 showing theselector element in its fully selective position.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

By way of example, we have shown our sequence selector mechanism asapplied to or in connection with a multi-selective phonograph of thetype shown in the Wilcox Patent No. 2,002,236, dated May 21, 1935, thenumeral l8 indicating the platform of the phonograph chassis, II thevertically-movable turntable, l2 the tone arm, and I3 a plurality ofpivoted record carriers normally disposed in stack-like fashion at oneside of the turntable and adapted to be selectively swung horizontallyto a position over the turntable, whereby the latter, upon beingelevated, picks the record from the carrier and brings it into playingposition with the repro- 60 ducer, and after the playing of the recordthe 1938, Serial No. 211,620

turntable is lowered and deposits that record on it carrier, after whichthe latter is swung to its position in the recerd stack.

The mechanism for selectively bringing the carriers into and out ofplaying position forms no part of the present invention and a detaileddescription thereof is deemed unnecessary, suffice it to say, however,that this mechanism includes a cam shaft l l driven by an electric motorl5 through the medium of a worm l6 and worm wheel l: for governing theselective movements of the carriers i3 and turntable H, and a selectorshaft 58 driven by the cam shaft during the selecting cycle ofoperations for predetermining the playing of a given selected record.

The sequence selector mechanism is operatively associated with theselector shaft E3 to govern its rotating movements and in turn controlthe selection of a pro-selected record for play, and is so constructedas to select a plurality of records at one time in advance and then havethe machine automatically play those selected records in the same orderor sequence selected by the patron. For accomplishing these ends, thesequence selector mechanism is constructed as follows:

As in the case of the Wilcox patent referred to, means are provided forstopping rotation of the selector shaft in order t control its rotationso that certain records may be selected for play and in this connectionwe employ, as an actuating part of such means, a plurality 'of push rodsis which correspond in number to the number of records borne by themachine and which are supported for axial sliding movement in a faceplate 2? at the front of the chassis, these push rods being disposed inan annular fashion about the axis of the selector shaft. Each of thepush rods is provided with a pair of spaced collars 2i adapted to abutthe opposite sides of the face plate for limiting its projected andretracted movements. 11 selecting records for play, these push rods areshifted to the position shown in Figure 10. Alined with these push rodsfor selective actuation thereby are companion selector bars or elementswhich functio. in connection with a slidable, rotating drum applied tothe selector shaft 8, to stop the rotation of that shaft at differentpositions corresponding to the selector bars chosen, said drum having aradially-dispose shiftable stop-lug 2t thereon which projects forwardlyfrom the face of the for abutting one or another of the projectedselector oars to stop the rotation of the selector shaft atpredetermined selected positions. These selector bars are so mounted,that with each successive selection of a plurality of records to beplayed by depressing the push rods l9 desired in advance of playing, thebars are successively projected in stepdike fashion one in advance ofthe other in predetermined spaced relation to the drum 23, whereby topresent them in selected sequence into operative engagement with thedrum-lug 2 to effect the playing of the records in the order selected atthe push rods, each bar, together with its companion push rod, beingautomatically actuated to its retracted position after its selectingfunction has been performed. To eifect these results, the selector bars22, which are a sectional part of the push rods I9, are mounted andguided for longitudinal and rocking movement between guide flanges 25applied to the periphery of a shell or sleeve 26 supportedconcentrically about the front end of the selector shaft 58 and suitablysecured to the face plate 20 or other adjacent part of the chassis.Guided for axial movement on a tubularextension 21 projected rearwardlyfrom the face plate, and constituting a hearing or housing for the frontend of the selector shaft, is a slida'ble, selector bar coupling member28 preferably in the form of a wheel or pulley-like element whoseperiphery is in contiguous concentric bearing relation with the innerbore of the bar-carrying sleeve 26. In its periphery this couplingmember has a longitudinal row of annular ratchet-like teeth or notches29 with one or another of which the several selector bars are adapted toengage when moved to a selected position by the respective push rods andwhereby the coupling member is adapted to be advanced a distance of onetooth by each bar selected and in step by step fashion relative to theselector shaft and the sleeve 26, a spring 30 connected to the couplingmember constantly tending to urge it to its retracted or initialnon-selecting position.

Projecting from the inner or bottom side of each selector bar 22, aboutmidway thereof, is a tooth 3!, which, in non-selecting position, restson the outer surface of the sleeve 26 adjacent the rear edge thereof andclear of the coupling member 28, in the-manner shown in Figures and 8, abow-like spring 32 acting on the outer or top face of each bar to retainit in the inclined, retracted position shown in such figures. Upondepressing a push rod to a record selecting position, the first part ofthe stroke causes the alining selector bar 22 to drop oif the end of thesleeve 26 to bring its tooth 3! into register and coupling engagementwith an adjoining ratchet-notch 29 of the slidable coupling member 28,as shown in Figure 9. The remainder of the selective stroke imparts asimultaneous axial movement to the coupling member equal to a distanceof the width of one of said grooves and brings such bar to its adjustedselected position shown in Figure 10, wherein it abuts the face of therotatable selector drum 23 in the rotating path of its stop lug 24 toarrest the rotation of the selector shaft [3 at the predetermined radialposition to select the corresponding record for play. Subsequentselections made transmit like step by step movements to the couplingmember 28 and likewise to those selector bars 22 coupled therewithduring previous selections to progressively project them one in advanceof the other in the order selected, and during such advance of therespective coupled selector bars, the first-selected and foremost one,being in abutting engagement with the drum 23, causes such drum to beshifted rearwardly on the selector shaft against the resistance of aspring 33 which serves to constantly urge said drum to the positionshown in Figure 5. By this construction, the first selector bar actuatedassumes a definite projected position relative to the coupling member,the second selector bar actuated advances the coupling member one stepand assumes a projected position relative to the coupling member withits front end terminating in longitudinal spaced relation to thecorresponding end of the first-named selector bar a distance equal tothe width of one of its notches 29, and so on for each selection,whereby each selector bar actuated advances the drum 23 and the couplingmember 28 and the selected bars coupled therewith a like distance topre-set the bars in successive stepped positions to automatically playthe records in the sequence initially ordered by the selector bars, thestop lug 24 on the drum first contacting the foremost-projected or firstselected bar and thereafter in successive order the second, third, etc.,selected bars.

After each record-selecting operation has been performed and theselected carrier I3 is swung out of the stack for play, means areprovided for automatically cancelling or restoring the companionselector bar 22 to its initial non-selecting position to clear the wayfor the shifting of the selector drum 23 into the path of thenext-adjoining or sequence-selected selector bar. This drum has alongitudinal slot 34 therein engaging a pin 35 projecting from theselector shaft l8, and joined to the drum, to move axially therewith inresponse to operative shifting movements imparted to it by the selectorbars and independently thereof in the opposite direction, is a radialarm 36 having a rod 31 fixed at one end thereto in parallel relation tothe selector shaft and guided at its opposite end in a bearing 38 formedin the drum, as shown in Figure 5. The stop-lug 24, which abuts theselector bars to arrest the selector shaft at predetermined points, isconnected to the free end of the rod 31, and includes aselectorbar-engaging abutment or side wall 39, an outwardly inclined topwall 40 engageable with the inner or lower end of a selector bar forreleasing it from coupled engagement with the ratchet-like couplingmember 28, and an adjustable end abutment or screw ii adapted to engagethe end of a selector bar for restoring it to its non-selectiveposition. Normally this stop-lug assumes the position shown in Figures 5and '7, where it is in position to present its side wall 39 into thepath of the first-positioned selector bar. After the selection iseffected, motion is imparted to the radial arm 36 and its rod 31'axially of the selector shaft to shift the stop-lug 2G toward theselector bars 22, the registering or alining selector bar being firstelevated by the lug-wall 30 to lift its tooth 3! from engagement withthe notched coupling member 28 and subsequently encountered by theabutmentscrew 4| to bodily shift the bar to its initial non-selectiveposition. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the operative, restoringstroke may be imparted to the rod 3'! at a predetermined time in thecycle of operations by an actuating lever 42 radiating from and looselymounted on the cam shaft l4 and in coupling engagement at its free endwith a grooved collar 43 on the post-bearing arm 36 and actuated in anoperative stroke axially of the selector shaft by a cam Ml likewisemounted on the cam shaft. A spring G5 applied to the selector shaft l8and interposed between the selector drum 23 and its companion arm 36tends constantly to shift the stop lug 24 and associated parts to theirretracted normal position shown in Figure 5. It will be noted that theselector drum, its arm 36 and the cam-actuated lever 52 move as a unitduring the selecting strokes imparted thereto by the selector bars 22,whereby for each setting of the drum determined by the foremostprojecting selector bar of a plurality selected, a companioncompensating restoring stroke is adapted, in the mann r abovedescribed,to be imparted by the cam to the rod (ii to return a given selector barto its initial position.

Each selector bar 252 has a shoulder fil thereon immediately to the rearof its tooth 3i which serves, in the projected position of the bar incoupling engagement with a companion groove 26 in the coupling member28, to hold the coupling member out beyond the sleeve 25 so that thenext succeeding groove in such member is exposed and in position toreceive the next projected selector barv This second bar, whenprojected, enters the exposed groove by the action of the bowed spring532 and its shoulder 35 is in position to hold the coupling member outfor coupling engagement with the next selector bar and so on. Theshoulder of the last selector bar pushed of a group is the only shoulderthat functions to maintain the coupling member in its selector bardisplacing position, until after all the selections are played, and thenfinally on restoring the last selector bar to its initial position, thecoupling member is pulled forward by reason of its spring 33.

We claim as our invention:

In automatic phonograph, a plurality of movable record carriers mountedfor selective movement to and from an operative record-playing position,individually--movable selector eans corresponding in number to therecord carriers for simultaneously selectin at will a plurality ofrecords to be played, COll'1 lion selector elements corresponding innumber to disposed for actuation by said individually movable selectormeans to predetermined selective positions, a shiftable coupling memberdisposed in operative relation with said selector elements andengageable therewith during their movements to selective positions tosuccessively advance the coupling member jointly as a unit with theselector elements a given distance for each selection made, whereby saidelements are adjusted in predetermined sequeues-selective positionsrelative to one another, means governed by said selector elements forcontrolling the selection of the companion carriers.

2. In automatic phonograph, a plurality of selective record carriers, aturntable, and means for controlling the selection of records inoperative relation with the turntable comprising a selector shaft, meansfor rotating said shaft, means governed by said shaft for actuating therecord carriers to a selective position, and means for stopping therotation of said shaft at certain points corresponding to the recordselected consisting means rotatable with the selector shaft and axiallyadjustable relatively thereto, individually-adjustable selector meanscorresponding in number to the record carriers for selecting at will aplurality of records to be played and projectible in predeterminedsequence to a position in the path of said means rotatable with saidshaft, and shiftable means common to and disposed for couplingengagement with said selector when the latter are adjused to theirat-Will selected positions for governing their subsequent successivemovements to predetermined positions to selectively play the records inthe or der selected.

3. In an automatic phonograph, a plurality of selective record carriers,a turntable, and means for controlling the selection of records inoperative relation with the turntable comprising a selector shaft, meansfor rotating said shaft, means governed by said shaft for actuating therecord carriers to a selective position, and means for stopping therotation of said shaft at certain points corresponding to the recordsselected consisting of means rotatable with the selector shaft andaxially adjustable relatively thereto, individually adjustable annularlyarranged means corresponding in number to the record carriers forselecting at will a plurality of records to be played and projectible inpredetermined sequence to a po tion the path said means rotatable withand adjustable member disposed in cooperative-relation with saidselecting means for succes e coupling engagement therewith and. foractuation thereby when such selecting means are adjusted to theirat-will selected positions to successively advance the adjustable menher as unit with the coupled selectin means a given distance for eachselection made, whereby the latter are adjusted in predetermined space:relation to said means rotatable with. the selector shaft.

4. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records, means rotatable with said shaft for stopping itsrotation at selected positions, a plurality of selector elementscorresponding in number to the records and each individually movable toa predetermined initial selecting position and projectible to positionsin the path of and for sequential operative engagement with saidstopping means rotatable with said shaft, and a shiftable couplingmember common to said selector elements disposed in operative relationtherewith and having means thereon for interloclnng engagement with theselector elements fo bodily and successively advancinginitially-selected elements a given distance toward said stopping meanswith each movement of subsequent selector elements to their initialselecting positions.

5. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records, means rotatable with said shaft for stopping itsrotation at selected positions, a plurality of selector elementscorresponding in number to the records and each individually movable toa predetermined initial selecting position and projectible to otherpositions in the path of and for sequential operative engagement withsaid stcp-- ping means rotatable with said shaft, each of the selectorelements having a tooth thereon, and a shiftable coupling member commonto said selector elements having a row of notches therein with one oranother of which the teeth of such e ements are adapted to interlockwhen initiallyselected positions for bodily and successively vancing instep by step fashion with each mov ment of subsequent selector elementsto th r initial selecting positions, initially selected elements forsequential operative engagement with said stopping means.

6. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records, means rotatable with said shaft for stopping therotation thereof at selected positions, a plurality of selector elementscorresponding in number to the records and each movable individually toa predetermined initial selecting position and projectible in sequenceto other positions in the path of said stopping means rotatable with theshaft, a shiftable coupling member disposed in operative relation withthe selector elements and having means thereon for interlockingengagement with said selector elements for bodily and successivelyadvancing initially-selected elements a given distance toward said stopmeans rotatable with said shaft with each movement of subsequentselector elements to their initial selecting positions, and meansengageable with said selector elements for successively retracting themto their non-selective positions after their companion records have beenselected for play.

7. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records having a stop member mounted thereon for rotationtherewith for stopping its rotation at selected positions and free toslide axially thereof, a spring for normally urging said stop member inone direction axially of the shaft, a plurality of selector elementscorresponding in number to the records and each projectible individuallyto a predetermined initial selecting position and successively to otherpositions for sequential operative relation with said stop member toarrest the rotation of said shaft, a shiftable coupling member disposedin operative relation with the selector elements for actuation therebyand having means thereon for interlocking engagement with said elementsfor bodily and successively advancing initially selected elements agiven distance toward said stop member at each projection of subsequentselector elements to their initial selecting positions, whereby apre-selected group of such elements are selectively disposed with theirstop-member engaging ends in receding spaced relation at differentpredetermined distances from the stop member to control the sequenceplaying of the corresponding records, and means applied to said stopmember and engageable with said selector elements for successivelyreturning them to their non-selective positions after theircorresponding records have been selected for play.

8. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records, and means for stopping the rotation of said shaftat certain points to control the sequence playing of records selectedcomprising m ans rotatable with said shaft and slidable therealong andhaving a stop member projecting therefrom, a fixed frame disposed at oneside of said rotatable means, a plurality of projectible selector barsguided on said frame for movement in predetermined sequence to aposition in the path of said stop member, and means slidable axially ofthe shaft for coupling a projected selector bar thereto to movetherewith, said slidable means and said selector bars having companioninter-engaging coupling elements thereon for causing the successiveadvancement of the slidable coupling means and selector elements coupledtherewith a predetermined distance durlng each projection of a selectorelement to a record-seiecting position.

9. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records, and means for stopping the rotation of said shaftat certain points to control the sequence playing of records selectedcomprising means rotatable with said shaft and slidable therealong andhaving a stop member projecting therefrom, a fixed frame disposed at oneside of said rotatable means, a slidable coupling member mounted formovement axially of the shaft and having a spring for yieldinglyresisting its advancement in a direction toward said stopping means,said coupling member having a row of notches therein, and a plurality ofprojectible selector bars guided on said frame for lateral andlongitudinal movement to a position in the path of said stop member andeach having spring means for urging such bars laterally into latchingengagement with one or another of the notches in said coupling memberfor coupling the same therewith upon the projection of said bars to aninitial selecting position.

10. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft for controlling theselection of records, and means for stopping the rotation of said shaftat certain points to control the sequence playing of records selectedcomprising means rotatable with said shaft and slidable therealong andhaving a displaceable stop member thereon movable to a predeterminedposition relative to said rotatable means, a fixed frame disposed at oneside of said rotatable means, a slidable coupling member mounted formovement axially of said shaft relative to said frame to sequenceselecting positions and having a row of notches therein, a plurality ofprojectable selector bars guided on said frame for lateral andlongitudinal movement relative thereto to sequence selecting positionsin the path of said stop member and each having yieldable means forurging such bars laterally into latching engagement with one or anotherof the notches in said coupling member for coupling the same therewithupon the projection of said bars to an initial selecting position, saidbars in their non-selective positions engaging said frame and supportedthereby clear of the notched coupling member, said stop member havingabutments thereon engageable with the underside and adjoining end of aprojected selector bar for elevating such bar clear of said couplingmember and for shifting said bar longitudinally to its initialnon-selecting position, respectively, and means for actuating saiddisplaceable stop member at a predetermined time into and out ofoperative restoring engagement with said selector bars.

11. In an automatic phonograph, a rotatable shaft controlling theselection of records, a drum rotatable with and adjustable axially ofsaid,

shaft and having a displaceable stop member mounted thereon for movementrelative thereto and in a plane substantially parallel to the shaftaxis,a plurality of sequence selector elements each movable to apredetermined selective position for engagement with said stop memberfor stop- 'in abutting engagement with a selector element to shift thelatter to its initial non-selecting position.

EDWARD A. EBERT. NELSON J. GLEISER.

